Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn runs along the Alcorn State sideline on his way to the end zone on an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown in the SWAC Championship Game.

Southern’s Willie Quinn named to Black College All-American team

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn runs along the Alcorn State sideline on his way to the end zone on an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown in the SWAC Championship Game.

Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn, former Glen Oaks High School running back Johnta’ Hebert and former Edna Karr High School defensive back Devon Francois were named to the 2014 SBN Sports Black College All-American team Wednesday.

First-year Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs was named the SBN Sports Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

Quinn, a junior from Miami, caught 62 passes for 892 yards and five touchdowns in helping the Jaguars to a 9-4 record and their second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division title. He also averaged 22.2 yards on 13 punts and returned two for touchdowns and averaged 25.8 yards on 25 kickoffs, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Hebert was selected as a return specialist after a junior season in which he led the SWAC with 2,253 all-purpose yards – 921 on kickoff returns, 1.063 rushing and 269 receiving. He also led the SWAC with 15 touchdowns.

As a senior, Francois tied for the SWAC lead with five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, and was third among defensive backs with an average of 6.5 tackles per game.

He was joined on the All-American team by three teammates, including quarterback John Gibbs Jr., the Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year. Gibbs was the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 2,482 yards and 21 touchdowns and leading the Braves in rushing with 1,006 yards and 11 touchdowns on 135 carries.

Gibbs was the Offensive MVP of Alcorn’s 38-24 victory against Southern in the SWAC title game.

passing for 245 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 132 yards on 16 carries as the Braves earned the Jake Gaither National Championship Trophy.

The other Braves All-Americans were tight end Jordan Payne and offensive lineman Isaac Sampson.

North Carolina A&T also had four All-Americans – running back Tarik Cohen, offensive linemen Ronald Canty and William Ray Robinson III and defensive back Donald Mattocks.

Fobbs took Grambling from a last-place finish and one win in 2013 to the cusp of the SWAC West Division title, losing to Southern in the Bayou Classic showdown for the division title.

The Tigers, 7-5 overall and 7-2 in the league, were in first place in the West the entire season until losing to Southern in the regular-season finale.

South Carolina State University defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was named the Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year.

SBN Sports is a division of American Urban Radio Networks and has selected Black College All-American teams since 1974. The selection committee consists of a nationwide panel of newspaper, television and radio reporters as well as Black college coaches and sports information directors.